A spokesperson for the North’s defence ministry on Sunday slammed the allies’ plans to broaden a key annual joint army drill subsequent yr to incorporate a nuclear operation drill and warned of “a preemptive and lethal counteraction”.
“That is an open declaration on nuclear confrontation to make the usage of nuclear weapons in opposition to the DPRK a fait accompli,” the assertion carried by the KCNA information company mentioned, utilizing the official acronym for North Korea.
“The hostile forces’ any try to make use of armed forces in opposition to the DPRK will face a preemptive and lethal counteraction,” it added.
The missile launch additionally comes as Pyongyang marks the anniversary of the loss of life of chief Kim Jong Un’s father and predecessor Kim Jong Il who died on Dec 17, 2011.
North Korea final yr declared itself an “irreversible” nuclear energy and has repeatedly mentioned it is going to by no means surrender its nuclear programme, which the regime views as important for its survival.
And final month Pyongyang efficiently put a army spy satellite tv for pc into orbit. It has since claimed its eye within the sky was already offering photos of main US and South Korean army websites.
The UN Safety Council has adopted many resolutions calling on North Korea to halt its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes because it first carried out a nuclear take a look at in 2006.